Rock Around the Clock
"Rock Around the Clock" is the 25th episode of season four of Wizards of Waverly Place, and the 107th of the overall series. It first aired on November 4, 2011. Overview The Russo’s home and business are in jeopardy after a landlord who bought the building from Jerry’s dad in the 50′s threatens eviction, so the Russo’s go back in time to save their home and the Sub Station. Summary The Russo family learns they are being evicted from their apartment and the Sub Station when Lenny Hune, the owner of the building, informs them he plans on selling the building. Jerry decides that they can find a new home, but they won't be able to find a new wizard lair. If the family leaves the Waverly Sub Station, the lair will disappear, and they will lose their connection with the wizard world. Justin attempts to file a claim with the wizard lair relocation service, but the family is less than enthusiastic about having to fill out a 4,000-page application. Alex suggests going back in time to convince Grandpa Russo not to sell the building. Using a time travel mechanism that Jerry had kept hidden the family and Harper set their destination for the year 1957. Justin doesn't agree with the plan because he thinks there could be serious consequences. The Russos and Harper land in the year 1977 because Justin accidentally shifted the dial in the time machine. The Sub Station looks more like a dance club than a diner. They take a few minutes to dance before resetting the time machine to 1957 and attempting the trip again. Having finally arrived in 1957, they convince Grandpa Russo to not sell the Sub Station to Lenny Hune. Believing they've done what was necessary, they return back to the present time. Unfortunately, the Sub Station appears abandoned, the lair is gone, and they realize they've forgotten Harper! The family returns to 1957 and find Jerry's dad packing up because the Sub Station has gone out of business. Harper has enrolled in Tribeca Prep in 1957 in order to not ruin her perfect attendance record. She's become the most popular student in the school, and she uses her popularity to get everyone to go to the Sub Station. Meanwhile, Max makes new friends, show them an MP3 player, and accidentally shows them the "high-five" 20 years earlier which is now called the "Max". The Russos return to present time and are happy to find the Waverly Sub Station still in business and the lair where it should be. They get nervous when they find a janitor named Lenny Hune Jr., and think that his dad owns the building, but are relieved to find out that Lenny Hune Sr. just owns the janitorial service. The only thing that appears to have gone wrong, is that they've forgotten Harper again! The family travels back to get her but accidentally go back to 1977 again. A song Justin likes starts to play, and the family starts dancing, and decides Harper can wait. Production Notes Continuity *Harper mentions that the Russo's had promised to let her live in the basement until she graduated. However, she and Alex had already graduated eight episodes earlier in "Wizards vs. Asteroid", but when she said let it go it might have been for the fact that she is still there. However, there isn't much inconsistency, considering the fact that in the episode that preceded this one that Alex and Harper, along with other magical creatures, left the Windsor apartment building after the 13th floor was proven to be a trap for magical creatures set up by Gorog. Harper probably moved back into the basement afterwards. *Also, the desks and lockers that Justin used to teach the delinquents are still in the lair, even though the delinquents already passed their final exams seven episodes earlier in 'Justin's Back In'.'' Goofs *According to the Russo family tree, Jerry's father's name is Duke but Theresa said, Hank. This is a goof. *By Harper going to school in the '50s, she can cause a ripple by changing something, but Justin doesn't say anything to her. Also graduated a few episodes earlier in the season. *There is major historical inaccuracy in that there are African American and Latino students attending Tribeca Prep in 1957. In times of racism and segregation, this would not happen. *In "Make it Happen", Jerry stated that his father was a rodeo clown, however, in this episode he is the owner of the Sub Station. Perhaps that was his part-time job? *In Uncle Ernesto, they had a time-traveling pocket watch that Justin knew about so he shouldn't have said: "We don't have a time-traveling device." He might have been lying to keep them from going. *In Retest, Megan Russo stated that Jerry bought/created the Sub Station, but here it was passed down to the family. It's possible that Jerry bought the Sub Station off his father, as when you buy a car, and put a donation forward. Trivia *This episode was actually the 14th episode of the season to be filmed but was the 25th aired, which leads to some continuity errors. *The title of this episode is a reference to the popular song of the same name sung by ''Bill Haley and the Comets. This is also the theme song to the popular 1970's TV show based on kids/family living in the 1950s called Happy Days. There are numerous references to Happy Days throughout the episode. *When the kids are in the restaurant and the '50s era Tribeca Prep, the gang of "dudes" who Max does the high five to, and Max himself are wearing the Grease ''style t-shirt, leather jacket, jeans, and boots, which was also the style wore by Arthur Herbert "Fonzie/The Fonz" Fonzarelli from ''Happy Days *Max gives the "Dudes" a High-Five. The High-Five was invented on October 2, 1977. Since the dudes didn't know what it was called, they named it after Max. *Another scene where Max starts off the jukebox and Harper takes off her shoes to dance at the Sub Station is a reference to the popular '1950's dance called "The Sock Hop". It was named "Sock Hop" because when dances were held in the gymnasium, the kids removed their shoes that had hard soles then so that the floor would be protected. This was also referenced in Happy Days. *Running Gag: Every time the Russos go back to the future, Harper gets left behind. *The Russo's went back to 1977, which was the year Elvis Presley died. **Elvis was also mentioned by Max, back in 1957 and it was revealed that Max had no idea who Elvis Presley was. Cast Main Cast * Selena Gomez as Alex Russo * David Henrie as Justin Russo * Jake T. Austin as Max Russo * Jennifer Stone as Harper Finkle * Maria Canals Barrera as Theresa Russo * David DeLuise as Jerry Russo Guest Stars * Greg Baker as Rock Dale Kapaarret * Brendan Bradley as Hank Russo * Carlo Michael Mancini as Lenny Hune * Jeff Sizemore as Lenny Hune, Jr. * John DeLuca as Tommy Category:Season 4 Category:Episodes